The present invention relates generally to equipment utilized and methods performed in conjunction with a subterranean well and, in an embodiment described herein, more particularly provides apparatus and methods for anchoring and orienting equipment in well casing.
It is well known in the art to anchor and rotationally orient equipment relative to a tubular string, such as a casing string, in a well. For this purpose, an anchoring and orienting latch profile may be formed internally in the casing string, or the latch profile may be formed in a latch coupling interconnected in the casing string. A latch assembly is attached to the equipment, and then the latch assembly is operatively engaged with the internal profile, thereby anchoring and rotationally orienting the equipment relative to the casing string.
Unfortunately, such latch assemblies typically do not have full bores therethrough, and so access and flow through these latch assemblies is restricted or unavailable. It would be very useful to have substantially unrestricted access through a latch assembly, for example, to displace a portion of the equipment, or another item of equipment (such as workover tools, wireline tools, etc.), therethrough. It would also be very useful to have substantially unrestricted flow through a latch assembly, for example, to maintain well control or to increase production flow capacity, etc.
From the foregoing, it can be seen that it would be quite desirable to provide improved apparatus and methods for anchoring and orienting equipment in a well.